Letter: Thanks for the memories, Monte and Little Theatre

Friday

Aug 1, 2014 at 7:03 PMAug 1, 2014 at 7:37 PM

What’s not to like about the Little Theatre of Fall River? This weekend, my wife, Lauretta, and I enjoyed yet another great evening there, surrounded by friends old and new. We met Dr. Philip T. Silvia’s lovely wife, and got reacquainted with Paul Allard, director of the show, “The Music of Frank Sinatra,” who is a cousin of a cousin to Lauretta. Isn’t this common in Fall River?

What’s not to like about the Little Theatre of Fall River? This weekend, my wife, Lauretta, and I enjoyed yet another great evening there, surrounded by friends old and new. We met Dr. Philip T. Silvia’s lovely wife, and got reacquainted with Paul Allard, director of the show, “The Music of Frank Sinatra,” who is a cousin of a cousin to Lauretta. Isn’t this common in Fall River?

Seems we have so much in common with so many. Lauretta was in B.M.C. Durfee High School with classmate Jerry Silva, one of three band members, who is as good as it gets on the drums and percussion instruments, just as he was in high school. A woman sitting next to us said Jerry is the best she ever heard on the drums. I certainly cannot fail to mention one of our local great talents, Al Deston III. He was absolutely superb singing Sinatra songs! Each of the seven cast singers — three men, four women — was outstanding. We met Frank Sinatra in March 1987 at a private party in the Venus de Milo in Swansea. He was there with Red Buttons, sponsored by Golden Nuggets Casino Atlantic City.

Yes, the party was for “high rollers.” We are not “high rollers.” I was the general manager of an insurance agency for Monte C. Ferris. On the way out of the Venus, Sinatra kissed Lauretta on the cheek and said, “Goodbye, darling!” My kind of man! Thank you Monte for the memories, and thank you once again, Little Theatre, for all that you do.